Balance bicycle
130 px|left A balance bicycle (balance bike, run bike) is a training bicycle that helps the rider learn balance and steering. It has no pedals, no crankset and chain, and no training wheels. It can be a normal bicycle with pedals and related parts removed, or it can be purpose-built (especially for very small children, for whom normal bicycles are generally not available). It can have no brake, or it can have one or two hand-activated rim brakes. thumb|right|No pedals To function properly, a balance bicycle must be small enough that the rider can walk the bicycle while sitting comfortably in the saddle, putting both feet flat on the ground. The rider first walks the bicycle while standing over the saddle, then while sitting in the saddle. Eventually, the rider feels comfortable enough to run and "scoot" while riding the bicycle, then to lift both feet off the ground and cruise while balancing on the two wheels. thumb|left Children as young as 18 months can learn to cruise a balance bicycle within a few hours' practice. With a balance bicycle, the rider learns balance first, pedal last. In contrast, with a normal bicycle fitted with training wheels, the rider learns pedal first, balance last. Although opinions differ regarding which learning sequence is easier for most riders , it is generally agreed that a bicycle with pedals is too difficult for most very young children and that training wheels may encourage the rider to learn some behaviors which later must be unlearned. Traditionally, kids learn to ride on an ordinary bike with stabilisers, but Kiddimoto tackles things differently, building cool balance bikes with no stabilisers and no pedals. The Brit Pop Scooter is both the latest and the most eye-catching addition to the range and it is the winner in the ToyTalk Ride-ons category. Not only do you get a sturdy, attractive bike for your child to play on, it also teaches balance in a way that stabilisers can’t, making the transition to ‘proper’ bike riding that much easier when the time comes. Ride-ons Winner Brit Pop Scooter Company: Kiddimoto Age range: 2–6 Approx. price: £109.99 Online retailers: www.kiddimoto.co.uk, www.whywoodworks.co.uk, www.amazon.co.uk Retail outlets: Towers Toys, JB Bikes, Why Wood Works Reviewers’ comments: Very solid and tough… Lots of fun in the park… Very cool… A good aid for children learning balance. thumb|right See also * Velocipede * Dandy horse * Draisine * Mechanical equilibrium * Countersteering * Gyrobike External links * New York Times Fashion & Style, Oct 29, 2009 Hold the Training Wheels * Prince Lionheart Award Winning Balance Bike * Very cool british designs * Early Rider British Balance Bike * Early Rider Australia * Early Rider United States * TootScoot Balance Bike thumb Video clips * preschooler learning to cruise a balance bicycle on a smooth open ramp * toddler, an accomplished rider, cruising on turns around obstacles * preschoolers riding balance bikes together * and how to stop quickly... * How balance bikes help kids ride Category:Cycle types Category:Classical mechanics de:Kinderlaufrad es:Bicicleta de entrenamiento sin pedales